“The Palestinian BDS National Committee, BNC, salutes Hampshire College for its historic decision to divest from companies implicated in Israel’s occupation and violation of international law. Your principled and courageous decision is the clearest indicator yet in the United States that a critical threshold has been crossed in undertaking effective, morally sound solidarity measures to further the cause of justice and peace in Palestine and the region.”

"This is a monumental and historic step in the struggle for Palestinian equality, self-determination and peace in the Holy Land by non-violent means. I see what these students have accomplished as a replica of the support of their College of our struggle against apartheid in South Africa. Hampshire College's decision to divest should be a guiding example to all institutions of higher learning."

--Archbishop Desmond Tutu

"Congratulations to the students of Hampshire College for your principled and thoughtful divestment decision. Economic sanctions are among the most potent tools in the arsenal of non-violent tactics. Divestment and boycotts are controversial precisely because they work. So stay strong in the face of the attacks and misinformation, they are a measure of the effectiveness of the tactic you have chosen. And know that there are many who stand with you, and will soon be inspired to join you!"

--Naomi Klein, Journalist & Author

“I wholeheartedly support the call of the students of Hampshire College for an economic boycott of Israel following the massacre perpetrated in Gaza.”

--John Berger

“Every tiny act of disagreement with repression and injustice is critical. Gandhi rocked the imperialist British empire by thesimple act of making salt. Hampshire College deserves to be saluted for lending its small shoulder to a big cause."

“As in the case of the Apartheid system of South Africa, the Israeli Apartheid system imposed in Palestine leaves no option but to exercise pressure on Israel through BDS programs to break the Apartheid system for the sake of the future of both peoples."

--Mustafa Barghouti, Palestinian Legislative Council

“To my knowledge It has never occurred in history before, that the Aggressor (Israel) been rewarded and the Victim (Palestinians) demonized and punished by the International Community. Why has this been allowed to happen? The actions of the Students of Hampshire College by campaigning for divestment from financial ties with Israel is the first USA College to try to bring the truth to light and redress this injustice. I hope your Divestment Campaign will be taken up by other USA (and world) colleges, Universities and People, so that our voices United will break the siege of Gaza, end the occupation of Palestine, and give hope to Palestinians and Israelis who believe in human dignity, equality, and human rights for all. Well done to you all!”

--Mairead Maguire, Nobel Peace Laureate

"I entirely endorse the actions of Hampshire College students in their campaign for divestment from financial ties with Israel. Israel's current violence against Gaza, its long occupation of Palestinian lands and its policies of apartheid are all unacceptable by any standards."

--Roger Waters, Musician, Pink Floyd

“I want to express my admiration and support for the actions of Hampshire College students in their successful campaign for divestment from financial ties with Israel. It is extremely important for Israel to know that its violence against Gaza and its long occupation of Palestinian lands is not acceptable to people in the United States. I hope your campaign will set an example for students all over the country, and lead to justice in the Middle East, as the divestment campaign helped end apartheid in South Africa.”

--Dr. Howard Zinn

"I welcome the action of the Trustees of Hampshire College in divesting from companies that directly profit from the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. This is a first step towards bringing real moral and material pressure to bear against an occupation that has gone on for over 41 years, and that must be ended if Palestinians and Israelis are to have peace."

--Rashid Khalidi, Professor, Columbia University

“Your student group is to be commended for taking such an important and brave action. I am pleased to sign your statement and I thank you for including me.”

--Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney

“As a South African freedom fighter and recently retired minister in our democratic government I salute your stand against apartheid Israel!”

--Ronnie Kasrils, ANC leader & Minister of South Africa

“I fully endorse the reasonable and courageous decision of Hampshire College's Board of Trustees to divest all investments that support the Israeli occupation and oppression of the Palestinian people.”

--David Theo Goldberg, Professor, University of California

“I was thrilled to learn about the courageous step the college has taken. I am confident that history would judge it to be in hindsight one of the definitive moments in the non violent struggle to end the occupation and the oppression in Palestine and Israel."

--Ilan Pappé, Professor, British University of Exeter

“You are doing such great work! I have been wanting a chance to tell you how proud I am of your activism and leadership in this struggle.”

“I strongly support this statement. Israel's settlement policy in the Occupied Territories is a war crime. The wall Israel has been building in the Occupied Territories is designed to incorporate these illegal settlements. The final five-point itemization of your statement makes unambiguously clear that anyone who opposes such divestment supports war crimes.”

--Norman Finklestein

“I admire and honor the work Students for Justice in Palestine have done to bring about divestment from corporations profiting from the sufferings of the Palestinian people under Israel's occupation. May Hampshire's leadership inspire a growing movement on campuses and elsewhere.”

--Adrienne Rich, Poet & Activist

“I extend my enthusiastic congratulations to Hampshire College and to Students for Justice in Palestine for your courageous stand in support of human rights. As we have all learned from President Nelson Mandela, no one's freedom is complete until all are free. As Hampshire College and all of us learned during the long and often difficult years of the South African anti-apartheid struggle, international support through non-violent economic pressure such as divestment campaigns, plays an enormously important role. This is true in ending the Israeli occupation as much as it was for ending South African apartheid. At this moment when our own country is looking with hope towards a new era of change, we know that real change, based on justice, is something we must not only believe in but also fight for. Your decision to divest from Israeli occupation is part of that fight, and I applaud you for it.”

-- Phyllis Bennis, Fellow, Institute for Policy Studies

“Please find our endorsement of Hampshire College SJP's recent divestment efforts. […] The US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, and our 280 member groups around the country, applauds Hampshire College for again being among the leaders of the movement to divest their holdings in the service of human rights. As was the case with apartheid South Africa, the global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement seeks to nonviolently pressure Israel to end its systemic human rights abuses and violations of international law against Palestinians. Economic isolation and international pressure are crucial components to ending the Israeli confiscation of Palestinian land, expansion of Israel's illegal settlements, and Israel's targeting of Palestinian civilian lives and infrastructure. Combined with boycott campaigns, divestment both presses Israel to change its policies on human rights, and sends an important message to corporations that investors and consumers refuse to be complicit in human rights abuses. Hampshire College Students for Justice in Palestine's hard won campaign for divestment is truly a beacon for students and faculty seeking to nonviolently bring justice to Palestinians and peace and security to all. Peace & Power

-- Katherine M. Fuchs, US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation

"Given the central role that Americans have played in the prevention of justice for the Palestinian people, the struggle for peace must be waged here as well. The brave decision taken by Hampshire College to divest itself from further complicity in the illegal and immoral actions undertaken by Israel may be seen in years to come as the first and decisive act in the move towards a just and permanent peace in the region. We are all global citizens and Hampshire College has just shown what that responsibility means. I applaud and whole-heartedly support them in their efforts."

--Sut Jhally, University of Massachusetts at Amherst

"Congratulations to the Hampshire College students on their successful campaign that has led to a historic decision: to divest from all financial ties with Israel. Citizens in the United States and Europe have been extremely slow in appreciating the effects of the continued Israeli onslaught against the Palestinians. The victory of the ultra-Right parties in the recent Israeli elections only proves that the timing of your decision was perfect. Let us hope that it triggers similar campaign and results on campuses throughout the Western world. Israel is an apartheid state and the convict's badge needs to be pinned firmly on the lapels of its leaders. What you have done will strike a chord everywhere and not least in beleaguered Gaza."

1967: SNCC Supports Palestine Freedom movement.

(The same year, the U.S. Department of Defense claimed that:"SNCC can no longer be considered a civil rights group. It has become a racist organization with black supremacy ideals and an expressed hatred for whites.")

Both pages posted in this Blog's archives at May 17, 2007.

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"Appeal by Black Americans Against United States Support of the Zionist Government"

In the "New York Times", November 1, 1970.It reports that the Israeli Air Force Commander was already lecturing at the South African Air Force College in September 1967.See below:

"Appeal by Black Americans Against United States Support of the Zionist Government"--

Anti-Apartheid movement poster from the 1970's

It says "Zionism & Apartheid are Racism! They Must be Destroyed!"

Israeli Occupation soldiers kidnap girl in Hebron.

Congressman admits it: $300 Billion Went to Israel from the U.S. Congress

"I believe the United States has no truer friend in the Middle East than Israel. I have been in Congress for 50 years, and during my tenure I have proudly helped to move more than $300 billion worth of American aid to Israel."--Article by Congressman John Dingell"Arab American News"August 5, 2006